Page 50

FIFTY

KENJI

TRUTH HURTS

Day 562

I watch as Farron attempts to reassure Adrian, gently urging him back toward us before turning on her heel and walking away. There’s no doubt in my mind that she’s about to run to the barn to fetch EJ for a ride in an attempt to seek some solace and clear her head, even if she shouldn’t be going off on her own. It was heart-wrenching to watch her fall apart and scream at Holden the way she did, but I knew she needed that. She needed to release all of her pent-up anger and pain, and now she needs space to process everything that’s just happened.

As much as Farron may have tried to convince herself and everyone around her that she wasn’t giving up on Holden, that she was holding out hope that he would be back, I know my girl. Her hope had dwindled almost entirely, and as much as she didn’t want to believe he was gone, I know she also didn’t want to believe he was coming back. Sometimes, clinging to hope can be more agonizing than facing the harsh reality.

As Adrian walks back over and pulls Amaia into his arms again, my eyes move back over to Holden. He stands alone, his gaze fixed in the direction Farron disappeared, wearing a shattered expression. Seeing them together earlier had been jarring—they looked so alike, though I’m not sure he could ever have even half of Farron’s fire. I huff out a sigh, knowing I’m going to have to speak to him to make sure he understands what he needs to do. Not for his sake, but for Farron’s.

Holden's sudden movement catches my eye. His head snaps toward us, and his gaze sharpens as he observes the scene with Adrian and Amaia. He doesn't approach, but his scrutiny is intense. I wonder if he knows her story, given their arrival together. There's something between them, a tension palpable even from a distance. It’s there in the way he watches her, just like it was with the way Todd watched Jay for months. My gaze shifts to look for those two, and I notice the way Jay is still standing like a statue, taking her in, while Todd is watching Jay with a confused expression on his face.

Fuck, all of this is going to be a pain in the ass. I can already tell.

After a moment, Holden strides towards us, arms crossed defiantly over his chest in what I assume is an attempt at intimidation. It falls flat on me. His eyes sweep over all of us before settling on me.

“So, which one of you is with my sister? Because she kissed him,” he says, jabbing a finger at Adrian, “and you called her Princess, which isn’t exactly a platonic nickname.”

“We’re all with your sister,” I reply calmly, watching as his mouth drops open at my response.

“All of you? Even him?” he asks incredulously, nodding towards Theo.

“Tell him I have a name and that he should be less worried about our relationships with his sister and more worried about how he’s going to repair his relationship with her.” Theo’s hands move in short, frustrated movements, his face angrier than I’ve seen in a long time. Amaia snorts out a laugh, knowing enough ASL to know what Theo just said, and Holden’s eyes narrow again.

“I don't know sign language, so I'm not sure what he said, but I'm not okay with whatever all of this is,” Holden declares, his frustration seeping into his voice, which grows louder with each word.

Adrian steps forward, taking charge of the situation. “I'm going to take Amaia inside so we can talk and spend time together. K, you handle this, okay?” With that, he leads Amaia away, and Theo follows, shooting Holden a final, disdainful glance before disappearing into the house.

My eyes meet Holden’s, and a few silent, tense moments pass as we both size each other up. Finally, I release a low sigh and gesture toward the small field where Nessie and Aro had been earlier. “Come on,” I say, my voice clipped with an edge of impatience. “Let’s talk.”

I start walking towards the field, Magnum trotting faithfully next to me with a soft yip. Holden's gaze flicks to Magnum, evidently surprised by the dog's presence. “What’s with Magnum following you and not Farron?” he asks, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

“He likes me,” I reply with a nonchalant shrug. “After spending all day with Farron, he usually hangs around me.”

Holden scoffs lightly, but before he can say more, we reach the field. His eyes soften as they land on Nessie, who was pregnant when he left, now with her newborn calf. “Nessie gave birth,” he murmurs, gently stroking Aro's head.

“You were gone a long time,” I remark, focusing my attention on Nessie. She lets out a contented moo and nuzzles into my hand. I sense Holden's gaze burning into the side of my head. “The little one's name is Aro,” I add, attempting to diffuse some tension.

Holden chuckles, and I catch a glimpse of him shaking his head. “Of course, she named the baby after a Twilight character,” he says between laughter. “That's so Farron.”

I can't help but grin at his comment, filing this information away so I can tell her I figured it out. “Nessie seems to trust you,” he observes after a brief silence.

“I helped deliver Aro,” I explain, turning to face him. He lets out a low whistle and shakes his head again, muttering something about how that ‘explains a lot.’ He takes a few deep breaths, releasing them slowly, before turning his gaze back to me.

“Based on Amaia's stories, you must be Kenji,” he says, and I nod in confirmation. “So, Farron, with all three of you... How did that happen?”

“Slowly,” I reply, gazing off into the distance where the sun is getting closer to the horizon, and I know it’ll start to set soon. A furrow creases my brow as I think of Farron out there alone. I decide I need to wrap up this conversation with Holden quickly so we can get her back home before dark.

“The three of us arrived here just a few weeks after you left,” I begin, turning my attention fully to Holden. “Ray told us about Rolling Hills, and we were actually searching for Adrian's family, hoping to reunite with them here. It's even crazier that you've returned today with Amaia,” I add with a wry smile.

“Anyway, Theo got caught in a trap on our way here, so we rushed. Farron held us at gunpoint when we crossed the perimeter and reluctantly helped stitch him up. She wasn’t thrilled about our presence, especially not with you missing…” I pause, taking a moment to collect my thoughts.

“I think she fell for Theo first and then Adrian. They made her laugh, smile—were utterly smitten with her from the start. I wasn’t as romantic as them. In fact, I even thought the infamous Holden everyone mentioned was her lover, and I confronted her about what she planned to do when you returned and found her with two other men.” A dry laugh escapes me at the memory of my idiocy and the frustration from everyone at my dumb assumptions, and Holden laughs along.

“We didn’t intend to fall for her, and she certainly didn't plan to fall for us. But Farron is easy to love, and she deserves all the good things. Our coming together felt almost inevitable, especially with Nora nudging us to pursue Farron,” I say with a bittersweet smile, thinking about the remarkable woman. I notice Holden's jaw clench as tears threaten, knowing his grandmother is no longer with us.

“It was really tough on her, Holden,” I continue, meeting his gaze squarely. “You being gone, I mean. She didn’t want to open up to anyone, afraid of losing them like she lost her parents, like she lost you. I can't imagine how she would have coped with Mr. Abel's death or your grandmother's without support.”

Holden's eyebrows shoot up. “Mr. Abel, too?”

I nod solemnly. “Zombie attack. He asked Farron to end it before he turned,” I explain, still frustrated at the memory of what she had to do. “But Farron or Jay would be better to talk to about that, and you should talk to Todd about his brother. But you need to talk to her , Holden. I know she's angry right now; I know she's avoiding you. But you were gone for months, and she was terrified—nightmares constantly. Eventually, she had to assume the worst. That you were never coming back.”

He nods, his gaze dropping to focus on Aro again before he speaks. “I found Amaia. Then I lost her and had to find her again. It's a long, awful story—one that's probably hers to share. That's why I was gone for so long.”

“I understand,” I assure him. “I see how you look at her.” He scoffs as if to deny it, but I don't let him interrupt. “I’m glad you went after Amaia, who’s like my own sister. I’m glad the both of you are here now, even if it took a while. But you owe Farron an explanation, and you deserve to let her work through all the complicated emotions she has about you being gone and your return.”

“I know,” he admits quietly. “You think she’ll forgive me?”

I snort softly, shaking my head. “Come on, Holden. She’s your twin. You know she’ll forgive you. But she’ll probably give you hell first,” I add with a smirk.

He laughs before sobering up and turning fully to face me. “I know a lot about the three of you from Amaia. She talked so much about her brothers and how she hoped you were out there somewhere. She said, ‘If anyone can make it in this fucked up time, it’s Kenji wrangling my idiot brother and Theo.’ I sort of feel like I know you without really knowing you, and it’s all good things. So thanks for being here for my sister, and thank you for making her happy.”

“Don’t thank me,” I tell him. “I didn’t do anything for you. It’s for her. Everything I do now is for her.” He nods as he seems to digest my words.

“Now,” I tell him, my voice taking on an edge. “Go find her and talk to her. She got EJ and took off. I’m sure you know exactly where you can find her.”